Multiple investigative reports are converging on the conclusion that U.S. military forces were responsible for a devastating attack on the Shajareh Tayyebeh school in the Iranian city of Minab, which resulted in 165 fatalities. The incident, which occurred last Saturday, is being characterized as a ‘double-tap’ strike—a tactic where an initial explosion is followed by a second strike targeting first responders and survivors.
According to two U.S. officials speaking to Reuters, while the investigation remains ongoing and no final conclusion has been reached, initial findings point toward U.S. responsibility. This assessment aligns with separate investigations conducted by The New York Times and Middle East Eye (MEE), which utilized satellite imagery, open-source evidence, and verified video footage. Their analysis confirms the school was severely damaged by a precision strike that coincided with attacks on a nearby Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) naval base.
The MEE investigation specifically revealed that the school was hit by two separate strikes, with the second missile killing civilians, including children, who had sought shelter or arrived to aid victims. The BBC later corroborated these findings, reporting based on satellite data that the area suffered ‘multiple simultaneous or near-simultaneous strikes.’
Earlier misleading claims on social media, which attempted to attribute the bombing to the IRGC, have been thoroughly debunked. In response to the allegations, White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt stated that ‘the Iranian regime targets civilians and children, not the United States of America,’ noting that the Department of War is investigating the matter. Israel, another actor in the regional conflict, has also announced it is looking into the incident.
The severity of the attack has prompted international concern. The UN human rights office has called for a transparent investigation into the strike. ‘The onus is on the forces that carried out the attack to investigate it,’ stated spokesperson Ravina Shamdasani during a press briefing in Geneva, without explicitly assigning blame.